Marion, Robin Clark provides a primer on this technique at the tail-end of a video that's on a page linked to the OLD STYLE Drone & Noter Players called "Advanced Noter Techniques -- Intermediate #1."
Instead of placing the noter flat on the string right behind the fret, you raise your wrist slightly and "point" with the noter down at an angle to the string, all the while maintaining contact with the fretboard--which is a key point, since that is what enables the sound. The position of the noter in relation to the frets determines the pitch, of course, e.g. if you want to play an E-flat on a D-tuned dulcimer, you put the toner about halfway between the nut and fret #1.
You can do this on all the strings! That's right, play noter-style on more than just the chanter string--not to mention that you can get all the notes even on a diatonic fretboard. You have to play around with the angle of the noter to get a sound (sometimes it's more of a thud), but once you get the hang of it, you will experience a pleasantly new orientation to how the dulcimer can be made to play. I can't recommend it enough to anyone looking to expand the possibilities of noter-style playing. While I used the technique for years to make blues-style sounds on the chanter string I didn't fully understand its potential until seeing Robin and Randy at work. I heartily thank them for this exponential increase in my dulcimer joy!!!!
Thanks, y'all! I'm grateful for the feedback! I've been exploring the bent-noter technique to get notes that are "in the cracks" on the fretboard. This tune uses pitches made on the "backside" of frets 5, 8, and 9, and occasionally ventures to the middle string as well. (The dulcimer's tuned DAd.) The mode of the tune is kind of a composite that isn't available any other way.
08/20/14 08:21:43PM @randy-adams:
That's the way it's done right there Jud .Like it!
This is some HOT stuff!
You are most welcome, Guy! Give it a whirl!
Excellent! Thank you so much!
Marion, Robin Clark provides a primer on this technique at the tail-end of a video that's on a page linked to the OLD STYLE Drone & Noter Players called "Advanced Noter Techniques -- Intermediate #1."
Instead of placing the noter flat on the string right behind the fret, you raise your wrist slightly and "point" with the noter down at an angle to the string, all the while maintaining contact with the fretboard--which is a key point, since that is what enables the sound. The position of the noter in relation to the frets determines the pitch, of course, e.g. if you want to play an E-flat on a D-tuned dulcimer, you put the toner about halfway between the nut and fret #1.
You can do this on all the strings! That's right, play noter-style on more than just the chanter string--not to mention that you can get all the notes even on a diatonic fretboard. You have to play around with the angle of the noter to get a sound (sometimes it's more of a thud), but once you get the hang of it, you will experience a pleasantly new orientation to how the dulcimer can be made to play. I can't recommend it enough to anyone looking to expand the possibilities of noter-style playing. While I used the technique for years to make blues-style sounds on the chanter string I didn't fully understand its potential until seeing Robin and Randy at work. I heartily thank them for this exponential increase in my dulcimer joy!!!!
Thanks, y'all! I'm grateful for the feedback! I've been exploring the bent-noter technique to get notes that are "in the cracks" on the fretboard. This tune uses pitches made on the "backside" of frets 5, 8, and 9, and occasionally ventures to the middle string as well. (The dulcimer's tuned DAd.) The mode of the tune is kind of a composite that isn't available any other way.
That's the way it's done right there Jud .Like it!
i'm not sure what your doing there or how you are getting that effect but it sounds great!
There are some great ideas at work here!